UCLA’s Zidek Sinks Hooks Into Wolfpack : Bruins: Center impresses his dad in final effort before conference games start, 88-80.

With his father watching from the stands for the first time in his four-year UCLA career, George Zidek was calling for the ball.

Bellowing, actually. Demanding .

“That’s just his call,” point guard Tyus Edney said. “I know when he’s making that noise, get the ball to him.”

Zidek did not disappoint his father, George, Sr., a coach on the Czech Republic national team who flew in from the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

Facing single coverage for the first time in weeks, George Jr. flung in hooks from far and wide and sparked the Bruins to an 88-80 victory over North Carolina State before 12,075 at Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday night.

Zidek, who almost left UCLA for good two off-seasons ago because he was frustrated at his lack of playing time, also grabbed eight rebounds despite seeing limited time in the first half because of foul trouble.

But, on the advice of his father and Edney, Zidek stayed in Westwood.

“It’s just good to show my father how I’ve spent the last three years of my life,” the 7-foot Zidek said. “Just glad he’s able to see it worked out.”

It worked out for UCLA too.

As the second-ranked Bruins (6-0) head into conference play next week, Zidek’s 13 points on six-of-nine shooting in this low-octane possession-by-possession contest was especially vital.

“If I get the ball one-on-one, I should be able to score,” Zidek said.

Zidek’s most impressive basket came as the Bruins made their game-winning push early in the second half, a sweeping 15-foot right-handed hook that stunned North Carolina State Coach Les Robinson.

“That one hook. . . . In the NBA, you’re not going to be able to stop that one,” Robinson said. “He did a nice job.”

Zidek said the big hook--”that was at about my limit,” Zidek said--was just like a practice shot, since the Wolfpack fell back and let him take it.

“I knew it was going for him from the beginning of the game,” Edney said. “He wanted the ball tonight.”

Edney laughed when asked about the sling shot from 15 feet.

“They really had trouble with him all night,” Edney said. “And when he took that one shot, I really was confident. I’ve seen him do that in practice so many times, any time he’s swinging, I think it’s going in.”

With Zidek sitting out much of the first half after picking up his third foul, the Wolfpack (5-2) hustled its way to a three-point lead on UCLA with less than five minutes remaining in the half.

For the half, North Carolina State had 10 offensive rebounds, compared to UCLA’s three. In the game, the Wolfpack outrebounded UCLA, 37-33, and forward Rickey Daniels led everybody with 14 (eight offensive).

“We had a little George Mason in us in the first half,” Bruin Coach Jim Harrick said, referring to last week’s run-and-gun victory over the Patriots.

“But George gave us a lift in the second half. He was hard to guard tonight.”

A big defensive push gave the Bruins a 40-35 lead at half, and a 16-7 run to start the second upped the UCLA lead into double-digits.

The Bruins came out in the second half determined to let the shot clock wind down when they had the ball, with the seniors converting at the end. Senior forward Ed O’Bannon led the Bruins with 21 points and Edney had 20 points and eight assists.

Said Edney: “We wanted to try to keep our composure, keep under control on offense in the second half. I thought we did a pretty good job.”

North Carolina State made a late run triggered by freshman guard Ishua Benjamin, who led all scorers with 22 points, and closed the deficit to under 10 points with a minute to play.

“Everybody here probably thinks that hey, UCLA had to fight against a weak team,” Robinson said. “But we’re not a weak team. And I hope we’ll show that when the conference starts.”

Edney consistently cut through the Wolfpack press and converted six of seven free throws to ice the game. Overall, UCLA made 25 of its 29 free throws--86.2%.

“This was a really good game for us heading into conference,” Edney said. “They’re a good team, and in the Pac-10 we’re going to have a lot of games like this.”

Bruin Notes

Freshman forward Kris Johnson, who had been sidelined with a stress fracture in his right leg, played for the first time since the season opener and played four minutes, grabbing two rebounds. . . . Guard Marquis Burns did not play because of a sore back, but is expected to be available next week when the Bruins open Pacific 10 play by visiting the Oregon schools.